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Phillies' truck ready to roll (and rock)

Driven by FM radio, equipment makes its way from Philly to Clearwater

Dan O'Rourke and his staff get some help from the Phillie Phanatic as they load up for Spring Training in Clearwater, Fla.

By Todd Zolecki
/
MLB.com |

PHILADELPHIA -- The balls, bats, caps, jerseys and more have been carefully packed and loaded for their 1,055-mile trek to Clearwater, Fla.

The Phillies' equipment truck left Citizens Bank Park on Thursday morning with everything the team needs for six weeks of Spring Training, which begins Feb. 13. The trip will be completed Saturday when the truck unloads at Bright House Field.

"We've never run out of anything," Phils manager of equipment and umpire services Dan O'Rourke said.

Of course, there are some more relatively random items on the truck, including 25 sets of golf clubs, six bikes and the Phanatic's hot dog launcher. The Phanatic helped load the launcher on the truck.

Marty Garland from Havertown, Pa., is driving the truck to Florida. He said this is the sixth time he has made the trip. Garland is allowed to drive only 14 hours per day, so he will spend Thursday night somewhere in North Carolina.

Asked how he kills time during the drive, Garland said he just drives. He has no satellite radio or CDs, which means he is constantly flipping through the FM dial to find music he wants to hear.